Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Medical Support Assistant (Inpatient)

Department of Health and Human Services
Indian Health Service
Blackfeet Service Unit

Summary

This position serves as the Medical Support Assistant for the Inpatient Unit located at the Blackfeet Service Unit, Indian Health Service, Browning, MT. This incumbent reports to the Supervisory Clinical Nurse (Inpatient).

A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Posted yesterday · Apply by 08/06/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 6, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$40,736 - $59,031 per year

GS-5: $40,736-$52,957; GS-6: $45,409-$59,031

Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 6
Promotion potential
6
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
IHS-26-BI-12997956-ESEP/MP
Control number
875793400

Videos

Duties

Help

  • Schedules and coordinates patient appointments, follow-ups, and referrals across multiple clinics, specialties, and providers to ensure timely access to care.
  • Interviews patients and/or representatives to obtain, verify, and update demographic, insurance, and eligibility information in accordance with IHS and federal requirements.
  • Prepares, organizes, and files medical records, both electronic and paper-based, to support continuity of care and accessibility for providers.
  • Processes consults, orders, referrals, and authorizations in the electronic health record (EHR) and associated systems to support clinical care and continuity of services.
  • Identifies urgent or emergent situations and promptly notifies clinical staff to ensure appropriate and timely patient care.
Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job:
Medical Support Assistant Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov)

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement:

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Financial Suitability Requirement:

This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

GS-5: 4 years of education above high school OR;
1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: - Providing customer service by assisting patients, clients, or staff in person or by telephone (e.g., answering questions, directing patients, responding to routine inquiries)- Collecting, reviewing, or entering basic information into electronic systems (e.g., demographic data, appointment information, or service requests)- Maintaining files, records, or logs in accordance with established procedures
OR;Combining Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements at grades GS-5 and below

GS-6: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-5.
Examples of specialized experience for this grade level are identified by specialty below.

Determines the eligibility of patient seeking healthcare; assisting patient in competing new or updated forms; obtaining and verifying health records; assisting with making appointments for patients with all providers.

Time In Grade
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

There are no education requirements.

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 6 month service agreement will be required.

This position has promotion potential to the GS-GS-6 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.

You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

  1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
  2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
  3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
  4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
  • Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
  • However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
  • You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This job announcement uses the USA Hire Assessment to evaluate applicants. There is no "pass/fail" outcome; results are used as part of the overall evaluation process to determine applicant qualifications. However, if you do not take the assessment within the assessment window timeframe you will be found ineligible for this position. For more information, visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Customer Service
  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • Flexibility
  • Health Claims Processor
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Patient Registration
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12997956

Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of 08/06/2026, to be considered.

Indian Health Service

Become a part of an innovative, dynamic, nationwide organization of dedicated health care providers working to meet the individual health care needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Indian Health Service (IHS) employees are considerate in our care, creative in our approach, enthusiastic about our work and compassionate with our patients. Our lifestyle is adventurous, community oriented and focused on service and problem solving as part of a professional interdisciplinary team. Join us in improving the health outcomes of over 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Agency contact information

Kaycee Neal
Phone
406-855-1621
Fax
4062477236
Email
Kaycee.Neal@ihs.gov
Address
Blackfeet Service Unit
PO Box 760
760 Hospital Circle
Browning, MT 59417
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Indian Health Service, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.ihs.gov

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.